German media focus on Greek general strike

The 24-hour general strike yesterday was at the focus of the German press, that pointed out that it was a protest against the government's austerity policy.

The German media refer to the cuts that have been incurred by Greeks in recent years, to the forthcoming legislation to limit the right to strike, but also to the fact that the prime minister, despite the protests, seems determined to continue implementing the austerity program.

Spiegel: Mass strike against Tsipra's austerity policy

A "massive strike against Tsipra's political austerity," Spiegel magazine reports in its electronic version. The report notes inter alia that "tens of thousands of Greeks are demonstrating in the streets against unemployment, poverty and ever-increasing taxes. The prime minister, however, continues to implement his austerity program."

Spiegel comments that the government coalition under Alexis Tsipras "appears determined to dimplement all the austerity measures and reforms. "We keep all our commitments," says the Greek Prime Minister at every occasion.

He hopes that after the end of the current austerity program, his country will be able to borrow funds on the financial markets again. "

The German journal also points out that the protesters have also protested against the new law that is going to the vote in parliament, which will limit the right to strike.

Handelsblatt: Greek workers have lost more than a quarter of their income

The financial newspaper Handelsblatt observes on its website that "train services and news broadcasts have stopped in Greece". The Düsseldorf newspaper commented that the mobilizations "caused partial paralysis in public life. Trains and buses remained stationary, hospitals dealt only with extraordinary incidents and no news was broadcast on television."

The paper also focused on the central slogan of the protests against the government, which was, as it says, "poverty, taxes, unemployment ... you have finished it off."

Handelsblatt underlines that "Greek workers have lost over a quarter of their income in the last seven years.

Unemployment is dropping very slowly. It is over 20% and is the highest in Europe. More than 18,000 doctors have migrated."

Neues Deutschland: Resistance to cuts in one of the poorest countries in Europe

The general strike is also in the focus of the left-wing newspaper Neues Deutschland. The publication in its electronic edition describes the actions as "resistance to cuts in one of the poorest countries in Europe".